Follow our adventures as we share our thoughts, impressions and awe at what could be called: Foreign Service's Wide World of Talalay.

Tuesday, 29 May 2012

Put To Rest At Pashupati

Just as important as the temple at Pashupati are the cremation ghats. They're a holy place to say goodbye to loved ones and practice traditional cremation by the Bagmati river. It's one of the more profound events we've witnessed in our foreign travels, a raw and moving example of both the immediacy and limited time of life.

The cremation platforms dot the river. Once the body is placed on a pyre and cremated, the ashes go into the river to be washed away.

Before a body is placed on a platform it's carefully wrapped, blessed and paraded. Friends and family saying goodbye.

A cremation. Sometimes the pyre is an elaborate, flower encrusted beautiful affair. Another example of what makes Asia such a colorful place to be.